Razor blade sharpener



' Jan. 29, 1946. c. P. MARTIN RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER Filed April 4, 1945 I lll 1' leg-(i 4 Tnucnfov GMVCnQePMQMin Patented Jan. 29, 1946 uru'l' n) "STAT T ,nazon BLAnE s rmnrENEn' Clarence r. Martin, oomsmk r n, Mich. .f Application April 4, 1945, Serial No. 586,500

This invention relates to a razor blade sharpener and is directed to the production of an exceedingly simple sharpener for razor blades,'which is easily operated and which serves the purposes for which it is designed in a very effective manner. A-further feature'of the-invention is that the handle portion of the sharpener, that part which is grasped by the fingers of the operator, may be utilized as a holder for a number of blades so that the blades and the sharpener therefor are together and not disassociated.

- An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a front elevation of the razor blade sharpener of my invention. I

' Fig. 2 is an end elevation at one end, with the movable cover for retaining and for gaining access to blades held within the handle portion partially moved away from its normal position.

Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation from the opposite end of the blade sharpener.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the sharpening operation, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the removal of a blade for sharpening or its return after sharpening,

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

. In the construction shown, which is a preferred embodiment of my inventiona fiat body or handle member I of rectangular shape preferably, and which may be of wood, plastic or other suitable material, at one longitudinal edge has the immediate sharpener member 2 attached at one end portion to extend from the handle or body, the free edge of the member 2 preferably being of an angular r chisel shape as shown at 3. The member 2 preferably is of leather or of any other suitable flexible material which may be used for action against the edge of a razor blade to sharpen The blade shown at 4 is of conventional type and may have opposite cutting edges, or may be of the type in which one edge only is sharp, the particular type of blade not being of any importance in conjunction with the present invention, as all razor blades may be sharpened thereby.

In practice the member 2 is preferably received at one edge portion within a slot of the proper width cut in the cooperating edge portion of the body or handle I to which it is secured, being glued or otherwise fastened in place. Said slot may be continued toward the opposite edge of the body l'and closed at one end of the body, but open at 'the'other, providing a'receiving space or magazine cavity within which a razor blade '4 or a number of them may be housed and retained. At the open end; the handle'or body member I is cut away at it opposite'sides to provide a dovetailed projection 6, associated with whichis' a slidably movable closure of thin metal of. substantiallychannelform, havinga web 1 and flanges 8 which' converge' toward each-other awayifrom the web, being shaped for sliding over and interconnecting with the dove-tailed projections 6 as shown. Said closure member is removable by moving it its full length, and the blades 4 within the magazine cavity 5 may be removed for sharpening and replaced after sharpening or use, the closure member being returned to its normal position as in Figs. 1 and 5.

In the operation the blade 4 isheld between the thumb and first finger of one hand and the body or handle I grasped between the thumb and one or more of the fingers of the other hand, the free edge of the flexible sharpening member 2 being moved back and forth, preferably, alternately at opposite sides of the blade 4 at an edge thereof to be sharpened. Such stroking or stropping of the blade edge results in a quick and easy sharpening of the blade.

The construction described is very practical and useful and in practice has proved particularly efficient. Obviously it may be produced at low cost.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A razor blade sharpener comprising, a handle member anda flexible stropping member connected to and extending to one side of the handle member, said stropping member being flat and having a free edge of appreciable length which may be moved over and against an edge of a blade to be sharpened.

2. A razor blade sharpener comprising, a flat handle member adapted to be grasped between the thumb and fingers of ,a hand at its opposed sides, a flexible..stropping member secured at one edge of the handle member and extending away therefrom, said stropping member being fiat and located in a plane substantially parallel to the planes of the flat sides of the handle member, said free edge having an appreciable length and adapted to be moved lengthwise of and against the opposite sides of an edge of a razor blade disposed at an acute angl to the free edge of said stropping member.

3. A construction as defined in claim 2, said flexible stropping member extending from the handle member a distance which approximates the width of a razor blade, and at its free edge portion being progressively decreased in thicknessto substantially line thickness at the extreme free edge thereof. I

4. A razor blade sharpenereas defined-inclaim 2, said .iiexibie strapping member extending??- yond the adjacent edge of the handle member a distance approximating the width of a razor;

6. A construction as defined in claim 5, said handle member at the longitudinal edge thereof at which the flexible stropper member is secured being longitudinally slotted between. its opposite fiat sides, and said flexible stropping member having a longitudinal edge portion received in said slot and secured permanently in place.

7. A construction as defined in claim 5, said handle member having spaced apart sides providm ing a slot at onezlongitudinal sideedgeinto which blade, and being progressively decreased in thick I ness at its free edge portion to provide a free edge portion of substantially chisel shape vvith both of the sides thereof inclined'tb the'pl'a'ne o'f said stropping member.

5. IA razor blade stropper comprisingtiaflat handle of rectangular shape having opposedparallel flat sides spaced a distance from each other appreciably-lessthan thee-length or width of the handle member, afiexiblestroppingmember connected at a longitudinal side/edgeyof, therhandle member and permanently secured thereto between the opposite fiat sidesv thereof, "and extending from the handle member a-dist'ance approximating the width of a razor blade, and having a tree edge portion substantially paralleling the edge of the handle member from which it extends.

oheiil esit id mlll -lem n d iih stroppins member is receivedand secured in place, said sides ,of the handle member at the opposite longitudinal 'edge and at one of its transverse edges having the spaces therebetween closed leaving, the other end ,ofl the space between the sides of said handle 'm'emberopen;

an constructionas defined in claim 5, said handle member having spaced apart sides proname-a slot at one longitudinal side edge into 7 CLARENCE i 

